1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to tools and tool accessories; and more particularly to a structurally configurable hydraulic wrench extension adapted to provide mechanical torque for tightening and loosening fasteners such as nuts and bolts.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hydraulic torque wrenches are commonly used for tightening and loosening fasteners such as nuts and bolts, especially large size nuts and bolts. In many applications, it is desirable to control an amount of torque applied to a bolt or nut such that the fastener is tightened to a desired specification. More commonly, a plurality of fasteners are often used to attach two components of a machine or other equipment or structure, and in certain applications each of the fasteners is desired a specific torque for maintaining integrity of a seal therebetween. However, in other applications the torque at which one or more fasteners is tightened may not be of significant scrutiny.
Modern commercially-available hydraulic torque wrenches are often used for flange bolting of pipes or other structures. However, these wrenches can also be used for automotive, home, and other applications. These torque wrenches generally require an external hydraulic pump for communicating hydraulic fluid; the fluid often extends from the pump to the hydraulic wrench and back to the pump through one or two lines of conduit such as a tubing or hose. Thus, these torque wrenches are not readily portable without toting additional conduit and pump equipment.
Other tools are commonly used for tightening and loosening various fasteners, including: ratchets or socket wrenches, mechanical torque wrenches, and power driven devices such as power drivers and others, these power driven devices being available in plug-in and battery powered varieties. However, these tools are often not suitable for reaching certain “difficult-to-reach” fasteners such as those fasteners with obstructed access or being positioned behind other parts or structures. Thus, there is a need for an extension tool adapted for lightweight and portable use, diverse adaptation for use with a multitude of existing hand tools for supplying input mechanical energy, and in certain cases, an articulating structural configuration for customizing an angle or approach for extending a ratcheting function to those difficult-to-reach fasteners.
Modern hydraulic torque wrenches generally include a radial vane or similar type of converter for converting fluid pressure into rotational torque. Other hydraulic torque wrenches may employ a mechanical means for converting input energy into rotational torque. Some instruments may further use a geared mechanism for multiplying torque output. However, even in the crowded art of hydraulic tools and accessories there has yet to be disclosed or made available a hydraulic wrench extension adapted to convert an input torque to hydraulic fluid pressure at one end and further convert the hydraulic fluid pressure into rotational torque at a second end.
Moreover, the need for configurable structure of such a wrench extension for accessing difficult-to-reach fasteners is a key problem in the art which has yet to be resolved.
Accordingly, a wrench extension adapted to receive an input torque and communicate the input torque to an output drive through a structurally configurable structure for accessing difficult-to-reach fasteners is of immediate need in the art.